Björn Borg

About Björn Borg

Björn Borg is widely considered as one of the greatest tennis players to have ever graced the game. Setting several records, Borg left a lasting legacy on the sport. Starting out as a fresh-faced teenager, Borg quickly made waves in tennis, proving himself as the brightest young player around. He represented Sweden at the Davis Cup in 1972 before winning the Wimbledon Junior Singles Championship at the age of 15. He appeared at the Australian Open at age 17 but lost in straight sets to finalist, Phil Dent. He followed this with a win at the Italian Open to become the youngest winner of the competition. Just weeks after he shocked the world, he was doing it once more, this time with an even more monumental victory.

Having just turned 18, Borg won his first Grand Slam to become the youngest-ever male winner of the French Open. This remarkable achievement laid bare the full extent of his prodigious talent.

The very next year he retained the French Open, after the year saw him win two singles and one doubles rubber to earn a record-breaking streak of 19 consecutive singles rubber wins. 1976 saw Borg win his first Wimbledon title, taking down Ilie Nastase in the final to end the tournament undefeated. Nastase famously commented: “We’re playing tennis, he’s [Borg] playing something else.” At just 20 years old he became the youngest ever winner of Wimbledon and in 1977 he took home his second Wimbledon title, becoming the World Number One for the first time. The years that followed saw Borg and John McEnroe establish one of the most intense sporting rivalries. While McEnroe was famed for his temper, Borg was known for his cool demeanour, earning their rivalry the title: Fire and Ice.

In 1980 the two met in the men’s singles final at Wimbledon. In a match that enjoys a special position in the history of the sport, Borg managed to defeat a young McEnroe to claim his fifth straight Wimbledon title. Unfortunately, his efforts from an early age took their toll and Borg retired early from tennis, at the age of 26. Borg and McEnroe had a head to head record of 7-7 in major titles when Borg retired. Since his retirement, the Björn Borg fashion label has taken off, becoming the number one underwear corporation, second to Calvin Klein. He has also become the captain to the victorious Team Europe in the 2017 Laver Cup.  Björn Borg is able to discuss the themes of his career, speaking on peak performance, drive and determination, tennis, sport and business – there are few as well-placed as Borg to speak at sporting and corporate events.